RSS 1.0Molecular Microbiology and Immunology electronic theses and dissertations (MU)
The items in this collection are the theses and dissertations written by students of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. Some items may be viewed only by members of the University of Missouri System and/or University of Missouri-Columbia. Click on one of the browse buttons above for a complete listing of the works.
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Protection from pneumonic plague by the induction of heme oxygenase-1
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2018)Yersinia pestis is the etiological agent of the disease known as plague. The pathology of this disease is characterized by organ failure due to necrosis and hyperinflammation towards the end of the disease. However, Y. ... -
Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) directs IL-4/IL-13 induced death of neonatal Th1 cells
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2017)Newborns typically have immune responses that are allergic, due to a predominance of Th2 cells, and lack the ability to respond to vaccines as well as display poor protection against microbes, due to a lack of Th1 cells. ... -
Therapeutic targets for spinal muscular atrophy : Inhibiting the inhibitors
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2014)Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder that is a leading genetic cause of infantile death. SMA is the most common inherited motor neuron disease and occurs in approximately 1: 6,000 live births. ... -
The role of sphingosine 1-phosphatemetabolizing enzymes in host defense to RNA virus infections
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2016)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Viruses are intracellular parasites that rely on the host cell machinery to effectively replicate themselves and spread within the host to cause ... -
Biochemical characterization of clade B and non-B HIV-1 reverse transcriptase
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2017)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Two classes of drugs: nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and non-nucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTIs) target HIV-1 RT, an enzyme ... -
The parvovirus minute virus of mice modulates the DNA damage response to facilitate viral replication and a pre-mitotic cell cycle block
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2017)The DNA damage response (DDR) is a critical cellular network that affords cells the ability to repair DNA damage they have incurred from endogenous and exogenous sources. Recently, it has become appreciated that viruses, ... -
Mechanisms of clostridial neurotoxin binding and entry
(University of Missouri-Columbia, 2016)The botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) and tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) make up the clostridial neurotoxin (CNT) family. The CNTs are produced by Clostridium botulinum and Clostridum tetani respectively, and are the most potent ... -
Mechanisms of action and efficacy of HCV direct-acting antiviral agents and the host-targeting agent Cyclosporin A
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2016)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] -
Mechanisms of cooperation between antigenic and cytokine signals in CD8 T cell activation
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2016)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Our adaptive immune system is comprised of white-blood cells that distinguish self- (our own) from foreignproteins (DNA products) and are capable of ... -
Activation and evasion of innate immune signaling pathways by Yersinia pestis
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2016)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Yersinia pestis is a bacterial pathogen that causes the disease plague in mammals. The disease is rapidly lethal and infected individuals can succumb ... -
Delineation of Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy using genetically engineered mice
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2016)Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetically inherited debilitating muscle disorder affecting young boys due to the loss of dystrophin protein in muscle and the heart. Affected individuals lose their mobility and ... -
Cell-to-cell infection, cell-cell fusion and production of ebolavirus : mechanisms of action and cellular modulators
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2016)Ebolavirus (EBOV), a member of the Filoviridae family, is a deadly non-segment negative-sense RNA virus that causes hemorrhagic fever among human and other species; the fatality rate can be up to 80%. In 2014, a re-emergent ... -
The cellular and humoral immune response against primary infection with Coxiella burnetii
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2016)Coxiella burnetii infection in mice results in a limited febrile illness that can be measured by examining splenomegaly, bacterial burden, and histopathology. In humans, this disease is known as Q fever. Using the mouse ... -
Structural and functional characterization of Clostridium difficile toxin B binding and entry
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2016)Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) has recently emerged as a worldwide nosocomial and iatrogenic infection. C. difficile is a gram-positive, motile bacillus whose sporulation ability significantly contributes to its ... -
Probing the viral replication of HCV and XMRV: biochemical characterization, inhibition kinetics and role of host proteins in viral replication
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2015)The studies described in this thesis focus on RNA viruses XMRV and HCV. In Chapter II we focused on Xenotropic Murine leukemia-Related Virus (XMRV). We characterized the biochemical activity and kinetics of the XMRV reverse ... -
The scaffold protein POSH regulates T lymphocyte function
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2015)T lymphocytes are critical mediators of the adaptive immune response. T cell receptor (TCR) mediated cJUN NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) activation is required for mounting proper T cell mediated immune responses. However, ... -
Posttranscriptional gene regulation of CD4+ T cell cytokine expression by the RNA binding protein HuR
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2015)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Posttranscriptional gene regulation by RNA-binding proteins such as HuR fine tunes gene expression in T cells leading to powerful effects on immune ... -
Exploring modifiers in spinal muscular atrophy : the power of AAV9
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2014) -
Investigation of antiviral strategies targeting Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I (HIV-1)
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2014)[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] HIV-1 infection is currently treated with antiretroviral therapy. Three antiviral approaches were investigated to gain understanding on how HIV-1 can ... -
The Cellular Immune Response to Murine Lyme borreliosis
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2015)Lyme disease is caused by the bacterial spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. There are approximately 300,000 new cases of Lyme Disease reported in the United States each year. Individuals with Lyme disease often suffer from ...